3,668. 8/1/2002

On August 1, 2002, in a meeting of top U.S. military commanders, Central Command leader General Tommy Franks said: ” ‘The end state for this operation [in Iraq] is regime change. …Success is defined as regime leadership and power base destroyed; WMD capability destroyed or controlled; territorial integrity intact; ability to threaten neighbors eliminated; an acceptable provisional/permanent government in place.’ ”